


Everywhere

by hannigramcracker



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, French Fries, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mentioned Christy, Vomiting, but this really started as a sickfic, mentioned Jessie, puke without plot, will i ever write a fic without vomit in it again? nope probably not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 16:48:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16685395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannigramcracker/pseuds/hannigramcracker
Summary: Link goes to work sick and can't get through filming before his stomach betrays him. Rhett brings him home and cares for him. Link reveals something that has been on his mind for a long time, and they deal with the situation like awkward teenagers at first. But wasn't that always going to be the way for them?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello pals. This fic comes from Timmyjaybird and I talking about this exact scenario while I was at work. It turned into something else and now here we are. 
> 
> This is a sickfic, beware of vomit ahead. There won't be any in the second chapter.

Link was running late. He’d woken up that morning and had immediately felt like his limbs each weighed a hundred pounds. He’d given himself a few extra minutes in bed, and regretted it when he started to run behind because he’d found himself crouched on the floor of the shower, trying to keep himself from vomiting. Unsuccessfully. He thought he had felt better after that, thought he had gotten it out of his system, but the truth was he had gagged into his hand more times on his drive to work than he wanted to admit. Still, he assumed he could push through, soldier on for the good of the show and then go home and take as long of a nap as he needed. 

 

He hadn’t shown up at the studio yet and they were supposed to start filming in ten minutes. That was very unusual for him, and Rhett was doing his best not to worry. He checked his hair in the monitor - again, surely a nervous tick at this point - when Link stumbled in the studio door. He didn’t  literally stumble, but for how dishevelled he looked, he might as well have. It wasn’t the usual endearing overslept, crooked glasses, shirt not tucked in correctly kind of way. That was just  _ Link,  _ this was something else entirely. Rhett didn’t even get a chance to ask Link what was going on before they had to start filming, but he noticed the way his skin was shining just a bit paler than usual. It was nothing that should show up on camera, but Rhett noticed it all the same. The cameras started roll and Stevie was counting them in and Link was saying  _ Gooooooooood mythical morning!  _ before Rhett really knew what was happening. Link’s voice didn’t sound that off, so maybe he was just overreacting. Rhett tried his best to focus on the cues in the monitor and only casted a sidelong glance at Link when he didn’t chime in with “let’s talk about that” right away. 

 

For the first few minutes of chatting, Rhett thought maybe he really was seeing things before. Maybe Link was just tired. Rhett knew it wasn’t always easy to fall asleep at night with so much running through their heads. However, the announcement that they were planning to blind taste test french fries didn’t bring on the enthusiastic response Rhett had been expecting. They had both been excited about this episode when they had thrown the idea together. Rhett himself had been looking forward to it all week. 

 

But instead of excited chatter, Link just put his blindfold on and swallowed thickly. Rhett watched him for just a moment, catching the bob of Link’s Adam’s apple and thinking it looked at little too strained, before having to cover his own eyes. Before Rhett could get too worried, Link was on top of his lines again, saying  _ “as you can see, we can’t” _ right on time, making up for his stumble earlier. Rhett wasn’t left completely satisfied, especially since he couldn’t actually see Link, but he pressed on nonetheless.  Rhett stretched his mouth wide and tried to blindly land on the cluster of fries that was in front him. He heard it as Link took a deep breath next to him, and it sounded familiar. It was the same kind of breath he took before he was about to sink something he truly hated. He was gathering himself as though this waa sushi covered in tomatoes and not fast food french fries. 

 

And that’s when it clicked.  

 

Link didn’t  _ want  _ to eat. He didn’t want to eat because he must be feeling the same sort of dread he felt when facing all those things he really hates. And if he really  _ was  _ sick, Rhett couldn’t do a damn thing about it right now. Hell, he couldn’t even  _ see.  _

Rhett felt terrible, but it wasn’t even half of what Link must be feeling. Link was suffering, despite the fact that he’s trying to carry on and work through it. He groaned quietly once he swallowed, a small breathy thing but Rhett knew it for what it was. He realized in horror that they didn’t even have their trashbins handy because it was  _ fries  _ today and who was going to spit out a fry? All these thoughts were rampant in Rhett’s mind and before they could settle, Link was talking again. 

 

“This one’s definitely…..greasy.” 

 

“It’s fast food, Link, they’re all greasy.” Rhett was quick to quip but at the same time he moved slightly, so one of his legs was against Link’s. 

 

Link almost jumped at the touch, but he appreciated it all the same. He knew he didn’t have very long, he was already playing on borrowed time. He just hoped against everything that he could keep his stomach in place for fifteen more minutes. The way his mouth watered as soon as the next fry hit his mouth, the fact that he didn’t even remember what he had guessed for the first round, and the bubbling cramps in his stomach said otherwise. His abdomen felt taut and distended over his waistband, and his skin felt flashed hot out of nowhere. 

 

Link took too long to chew the fry and he allowed Rhett to give all the commentary. He managed to force a hum like he was really thinking about his decision. Swallowing the mouthful took all the shrinking willpower he had. He didn’t even know what to guess. It all tasted the same. Grease. Heavy grease filling his stomach like a lead ball. 

 

Rhett went to comment, before suddenly forcing a cough. He turned to the side, away from Link, but made sure to keep their knees touching. The cough dragged on, and Link thought it sounded fake, but Stevie was still actually asking if Rhett was okay. 

 

“Lil bastard scratched my throat,” he said, and there was a moment of silence before Stevie was calling a halt to everything. 

 

Link could  tell it was all a rouse, but he couldn’t  say he was complaining. He pulled up his blindfold, just to see that Rhett had his up as well and was drinking from a glass someone had shoved at him. 

 

“Need five?” Stevie asked, and Rhett looked right at Link before saying yes. 

 

Link realized almost immediately that taking his blindfold off was a mistake. The set lights were abrasive and they shone brightly in his eyes, blurring everything without his glasses on. The ring lights made purple circles behind his lids when he squeezed his eyes shut again. They danced and it was dizzying. Link had one hand flat on the desk in front of him, trying to stabilize himself in any small way he could. His eyes popped back open when he felt  Rhett’s hand on his thigh. 

 

“You okay, brother?” Rhett’s drawl was always more noticeable when he was concerned, and Link wanted nothing more than to crawl inside his voice, wrap up in it, and sleep for maybe a week.

Link couldn’t even piece together the fact that  _ he  _ should be concerned about Rhett - he  _ was  _ nearly just assassinated by a fry - all his mind was telling him was he was not doing a good enough job. He just had a little stomach ache. They couldn’t pause filming for something so trivial. 

 

“We’re back in thirty seconds, guys.” Stevie’s voice echoed from somewhere behind the cameras and Link took the opportunity to pull his blindfold back down, reveling in the small respite of the darkness. 

 

“Link?” Rhett’s voice cut through and Link realized he never answered him. 

 

He nodded, forcing himself to open his mouth and praying only words come out. “Yeah, man. I’m good.” 

 

Rhett stared at Link for a moment longer before putting his blindfold back on himself. There wasn’t anything he could do about it now, even if he did think Link was lying through his teeth. He didn’t  want to sacrifice the quality of the video, but Rhett felt like his mind was going in twenty directions, all trying to figure out how to make this wrap quickly. He kept his leg pressed against Link’s, unseen under the table, and suddenly they were back. 

 

They listened as the next batch of fries were wheeled out, and while Rhett was blindly trying to find them, he was more  focused on Link, trying desperately to hear every movement and breath and  _ thought.  _

 

Oblivious to Rhett’s heightened awareness of him, Link opened his mouth wide despite his body’s protests and shoved a stack of fries in. He guessed before Rhett could even manage, a confident “Burger King.” 

 

He could tell those fries anywhere. It was getting them down his throat that proved to be the hard part. They were starting to congeal in his mouth and there was nothing left to chew. He squeezed his eyes shut harder under the blindfold and forced them down. His throat clicked against the swallow. So far, so good, but Link really was not sure how he was supposed to endure four more rounds of this. 

 

Actually, he was pretty positive he was going to vomit. And very soon, judging by the feeling in his jaw and the spit pooling under his tongue. It was all he could do not to drool when he opened his mouth to feel out the next group of fries. His stomach and throat were tight and he could feel whatever was left of the breakfast he had tried to eat mingling sickly with the grease. He knew he was heading for defeat, and that this was going to end badly for everyone. He tried to focus on Rhett’s leg, still ever present against his, a lifeline in the sea of his nausea, but it was barely enough. 

 

Rhett guessed quickly the next round, and Link couldn’t  even remember if he’d guessed that chain already or not. He only had the fries half chewed and it seemed like he was just trying to think, but he was really just wondering if he will be able to swallow them at all. 

 

It was Rhett’s hand suddenly on his leg, squeezing just above his knee, that made him realize he was taking too long. Link forced the bite down. It hurt his throat and his stomach cramped when it hit, but somehow it stayed down. 

 

“Does Subway do fries?” It was a bad joke, and Link knew it. His voice sounded soft even to his own ears, but Rhett laughed anyway.

 

“Nope! Stevie, that’s his guess. You have to count that.” Stevie laughed and placed Link’s guess. It saved the whole bit. 

 

Link was thankful for Rhett’s save and it helped him relax just a little. He was almost done now, it was almost over. He slowly brought one arm to settle around his middle under the table, but the position was too low for the pressure to help with where his cramps were. And god, the cramps were relentless now. 

 

The next fries were in his mouth when his stomach seized. 

 

He knew he couldn’t do this anymore. There was absolutely no way _.  _ He was swallowing down warm saliva that tasted like salt and starch and he  _ couldn’t.  _ It was  almost out of nowhere. He was backing away from the table harshly and the sound his chair made against the floor was grating. He was heaving and a hand against his mouth did nothing against the first gag. He heard people exclaiming but he couldn’t see them. His ears were crowded with a low roaring and he couldn’t move to take his blindfold off. He was completely frozen and he heaved again, barely chewed french fry hanging from his lips, a thin stream of stringy saliva dangling to his lap. 

 

Link knew Stevie was saying something, and she sounded concerned, but he couldn’t make out her words. He still felt frozen, completely stuck, until he felt large hands on him physically turning him.

 

And then Rhett’s voice “Give me that,” to someone, followed by a rustle of movement, and suddenly a trash bin was being forced into Link’s lap. It all happened so quickly, Link felt like it was all at once. Then, Rhett’s hands were on his face, gently pulling up his blindfold. The moment Link could see, he hung his head over the trash bin, coughing and spitting. 

 

“Give us a minute.” Rhett sounded concerned, but he didn’t  leave Link’s side. It was Stevie who was bustling around, herding crew out. And when everyone was gone, Rhett’s hands were back carding through Link’s hair. 

 

“Alright, brother. It’s alright.” 

 

It was all Link could do not to sob. He felt awful, in more ways than just one. He’d just totally screwed up their filming schedule and now they were all going to have to stay even later and all Link wanted to do was go home and lay down. His thoughts were jumbled and disoriented, but he knew he should have been able to power through this. Rhett and the crew both needed him to. 

 

Tears were streaming from his eyes from gagging so hard and he was happy he wasn’t wearing his glasses. His stomach cramped up relentlessly again, twisting and churning up his insides. He squeezed the trash bin against himself, hoping that the pressure would help calm his stomach. He hung over the rim, mouth open and more ropy saliva trailing from his lips to the bottom. 

 

“Link. Hey, take a deep breath, man. I’m right here. You’re good.” 

 

Link groaned at Rhett’s voice. He wasn’t  _ good. _ He was not even  _ close  _ to good. He shook his head but the motion was a bad idea and it sent him doubling back over the bin. He gagged twice before anything substantial came up and he felt miserable. Rhett was rubbing up and down his spine, supporting one of his shoulders with his body as he heaved, sloppy waves that hit the bottom of the trash can with a sickening splash. 

 

Disjointedly, Link wondered where this trash can came from. It definitely wasn’t his. It felt too awkward in his hands. 

 

Link spat heavily into the bin and he could tell Rhett was talking to him but his ears had started to ring so terribly that he couldn’t make anything out. All he could do was release yet another slurry of sick and pray that the cameras got turned off before the crew were ushered out. Sweat was starting to gather on his spine and his brow and he felt sticky with it. He was hot but he was absolutely freezing at the same time. He  _ ached. _ He coughed, the cough turning to a dry heave halfway through, but nothing came up this time. Link pressed his eyes shut. His gut still ached and he felt awful, but for a second his stomach seemed in place. 

 

“Let me grab your water.” Rhett stopped touching him, pushed his chair away, and the lack of feeling was awful, almost had Link whining. Before he could make a noise, the bottle was being pressed against his arm and he opened his eyes, grabbing it and uncapping it with shaking fingers. 

 

A few sips - he knew better than to take more than that - and he felt a bit better. Or his throat ached a little less at least. “Thanks.” It was still nothing but a croak and Rhett winced when he heard it. 

 

“Yeah. No problem.” Rhett reached over, put his wrist to Link’s forehead. “Fever?”

 

Link shrugged. He really wasn’t sure. He hadn’t thought so, but he felt so clammy and dizzy he couldn’t be certain. Rhett caught his tongue behind his teeth and clicked, sort of tutted, and placed his wrist against Link’s forehead. Rhett shook his head and Link thought maybe he  _ was  _ feverish. It would explain the disoriented way thoughts were filtering through his head. 

 

“You feelin’ alright now?” Rhett asked, and Link knew he could try to brush this under the rug. But instead, he shook his head. It was easy to be so vulnerable with just Rhett around. Rhett, with his soft voice, a concerned crease between his eyes, and a sweater Link wanted to wrap himself in, rub his face against at least. 

 

“I’m not.” His voice was slurred and small. “Dizzy. Bad.” 

 

Link gagged softly at the end of his sentence and moaned hollowly into the trash bin, his breath crinkled the plastic lining. He and Rhett were quiet for a few tense moments, waiting for the water to reappear. It didn’t. 

 

“Can’t believe Christy let you outta the house like this.” Rhett was murmuring as he brushed his hand against Link’s forehead again. 

 

“Brought the kids to see her mom,” Was Link’s whispered answer, his voice almost ashamed. 

 

Rhett knew in that moment he couldn’t leave Link alone. Especially when he gagged again. 

 

Rhett let his hand fall to Link’s back, and rubbed gently as Link coughed. This wasn’t a new position for either of them, and Rhett could almost feel the ripples coursing through Link’s body beneath his hand. The heaves were dry, Rhett could tell, and that was a good sign for the moment. 

 

“Hey, health first. Which sounds stupid considering the what we shovel into our bodies here, but still.” 

 

Link straightened up with a breathy groan. “Didn’t want to…” he paused to spit once, twice. “Throw off the whole schedule.” 

 

Rhett frowned at that, pausing his hand low on Link’s back. “You should go home.” Rhett knew it was obvious, but he said it anyway. 

 

Link nodded as well. He knew he should leave, but he was so dizzy he didn’t know if he could drive. “I feel like shit, Rhett.” 

 

Rhett clicked his tongue again. “I know you do, brother. Let’s get you home.” 

 

Link just stared into the trash can still in front of him. He shook his head. “I don’t think I can drive myself.” His voice was so small. It was so hard to be honest. 

 

“I’m not lettin’ ya. I’ll bring you home.” 

 

“But what about filming?” Linke asked, still facing into the trash and away from Rhett. “Stevie will-”

 

“Stevie will understand. I’ll talk to her. Now, you hush. No one will be upset. As much as the fans like watchin’ you gag, they don’t want it to be like this. 

 

Link clamped his mouth shut and gave a little nod. He knew Rhett was right. He just felt like shit all over: body and mind and fucking soul. 

 

Rhett left then, after a few more reassuring words, and it was agony for Link, but he took the few moments to try to compose himself. He took another swig of water and it helped ease the sour taste in his mouth. God, he couldn’t wait to brush his teeth. After a few more moments filled with measured breathing and silent pleas, Link put the trash bin aside. He leaned his head back and took another long, slow breath. And then another. It wouldn’t be long until he was home now. Soon, he would be able to sleep this off and he’d be able to joke about all of it tomorrow. 

 

When Rhett came back he already had his keys in hand. Link took a second or two too long to stand up and Rhett reached over to brace him. Link wanted to take his arm, wanted to lean against him, almost wanted to whine like one of their kids that he wanted to be  _ carried.  _ He had not realized just how thoroughly and completely he felt like shit until that moment. Link swayed a bit with the realization and actually moaned. Rhett reached to steady him in a second, almost like he was waiting for permission to touch, and brought him into the crook of his shoulder. 

 

“Easy, Linkster. I’ve got ya.” 

 

Link melted into the touch. He pressed against Rhett’s shoulder, almost hiding his face in the space of his neck. He didn’t want to see any of the crew on their way out, and he didn’t want any of them to see him. He felt humiliated enough, he didn’t want to feel the concern emanating from them. He almost wished he could put blindfold back on for the walk, but before he could make a silly feverish request, Rhett had them moving off set, slowly but steadily. 

 

“We can take as much time as you need. There’s no rush, brother.” Link nodded to Rhett, mostly because he wanted to feel Rhett’s beard scratch against his forehead. They were almost all the way down the hall, all the way out, and no one had said anything to them. Link was thankful for whatever Rhett had said to everyone. “We’re almost there.” 

 

Link’s head felt full of cotton, and he was glad to hear that he didn’t have many more steps to take. Rhett’s hand moved to around his slender waist as they reach the outside, Link furrowing his brow against the sunlight. He paused and closed his eyes all the way because the light hurt, made his head pound. Rhett didn’t push him to move, just stood by and held him steady. 

 

“Sorry.” Link mumbled when he could finally open his eyes. Rhett softly hushed him and got them moving toward the car again. 

  
Rhett had to separate himself from Link to open the car door, and Link hated it. But soon enough, Rhett was back and guiding him inside. “Need me to buckle you up?” 

 

“Funny.” Link said, and Rhett just smiled. He shut the door and Link fumbled with the seatbelt himself, then leaned his forehead against the window and closed his eyes. 

 

Once the car was moving, it wasn’t so bad. In fact, the white noise of the engine and gentle movement were almost lulling him to sleep. Rhett was quiet, and traffic could always be worse. Link felt like he was going boneless. He didn’t want to think about how soon enough he would have to somehow get out of the car. Make his legs work. Get all the way into his house. He would much rather just take a three hour nap right here. He wondered if Rhett would drive him around like this for a while if he asked. Link floated, suspended in nothingness. Rhett’s hand was on his thigh and it was big and warm and  _ nice.  _ Really, he thought it might be okay. 

 

Until.   
  


They took a turn, the turn before Link’s street that had a deep pothole in it. Rhett tried to avoid it, but didn’t skirt it enough. Link was jolted back awake, his stomach dropped out. He groaned, clutching his hands to his middle and sitting up straight. Saliva began to pool once again and he felt something heavy in his stomach moving around. A heady burp forced its way up Link’s throat and he was reaching out for Rhett. “Rhett- I’m...I’m gonna puke.” 

 

Rhett seemed too calm. He squeezed Link’s thigh. “I can see your house.” 

 

Link could see it too, but he was too far gone to be reprieved. He pressed his fist to his mouth and burped again, felt bile in his throat rising up. But Rhett was pulling into the driveway. 

 

Link had his seatbelt off before the car stopped. He stumbled out as Rhett threw it into park, and fell into the grass. On his hands and knees, he gagged, retched, couldn’t stop himself from vomiting. 

 

It was mortifying.

 

He was a grown man, vomiting his guts out on his own lawn. He just hoped the neighbors weren’t looking. He panted between waves, his jaw numb and saliva unbearably sour. He was coughing, his hands were scraping fistfuls of grass with every heave. 

 

Somehow, it was  _ still  _ french fries. 

 

They were undigested and mixed with the remnants of the dry toast from earlier that scratched its way up his esophagus. Link was so lost in his misery that he nearly jumped out of his skin when Rhett laid a steadying hand against his shoulder. Link let himself whine at the touch this time. It came out jagged and harsh. Rhett rubbed his thumb against Link’s collarbone in response. 

 

“You’re okay. Just get it all up. Then I’ll help you inside.” Rhett cooed into his ear. His voice sounded so strong and so sure that Link physically could not argue. Instead, he hung his head and didn’t try to fight the next wave. It was mostly bile, but it burnt something fierce. He squeezed his eyes shut and somewhere in his mind hoped his glasses wouldn’t fall off. That would have been just what his day needed. He spat when he felt nothing else was coming up and rocked back onto his heels. 

 

“O-okay.” Link said after a moment. His voice was hoarse and his throat hurt, but he got the words out. Carefully, Rhett pulled him up and steadied him before guiding him toward the house. 

 

Rhett didn’t bother to ask Link to dig for his key. He wasted no time rummaging for the hidden spare above the door frame (why was it hidden all the way up there? Was it there only for Rhett’s knowledge and use?) and unlocked the door. He ushered Link into the dimness of the house and hid the key back where he had found it, and tried not to dwell on the placement. 

 

Link had his hands flat against the wall in the entryway. He was shaking, trembling really, and Rhett couldn’t close the door fast enough to get back to him. Rhett’s hands were on his sides and Link was leaning back into his embrace again. 

 

“We’re here, brother. We made it.” Rhett was whispering, trying to help Link shift his weight. “Let’s get you cleaned up and in bed.” 

 

Link nodded, valiantly trying to place one foot in front of the other. “Wanna brush my teeth.” 

 

“I bet you do.”

 

“Normal toothpaste.” Link requested and Rhett laughed.

 

“Normal toothpaste it is.” 

 

It was slow going to get Link up the stairs, but eventually it happened. Rhett stood in the hallway just outside the bathroom door while Link brushed his teeth. He went slow. He wanted the sour taste  _ gone.  _ He even rinsed and then went in again with another round of toothpaste. Once Link’s mouth was cleaned out, he stepped back out into the hallway and Rhett took his arm. 

 

It was gentle. It was  _ shockingly  _ gentle.

 

“Let’s get you laying down.”

 

Link nodded, too sleepy to really formulate any words. Rhett’s presence against his arm was bringing tears to his eyes and he wasn’t sure why but he was too far gone to try to stop them. He leaned his head forward and a sob slipped. His glasses did too. 

 

Rhett stopped walking. “Hey.  _ Hey. _ ” He leaned down in front of Link to pick up his glasses and stayed down to look into Link’s eyes for a moment. “You’re okay, darlin’.” 

 

The endearment caused more tears to well up at the familiar yet all too foreign warmth that swelled in Link’s chest. 

 

“Sorry.” Link looked up and spoke before his mind caught up with his fever. “Will you stay with me a while?” 

 

If Rhett found his request odd, he didn’t say anything. He just nodded with a smile. He got Link into the bedroom, and Link wasted no time collapsing into the bed. He felt boneless the minute he was off his feet and he sighed, feeling like he was simply sinking into nothing. He felt something tug at both of his feet and dimly recognized it as Rhett taking his shoes off. The bed dipped a moment later, and Rhett was sitting on the edge of the other side, phone glowing in one hand. 

 

“I’m just gonna let Christy know you’re home sick. Okay?” 

Link grunted because he couldn’t even bring himself to lift his head. His body hurt and his throat was raw and he was just  _ so tired.  _

Rhett clicked his tongue again and pulled the blanket up around Link’s shoulders. Rhett thought he should go in the hall to make the phone call, but Link snuck a hand from under the blanket to clutch the hem of Rhett’s shirt. So he sent a text instead. 

“How are you feelin’?” Rhett asked while he waited for a reply. 

Link sighed, a breathy whimper. “My head hurts so much.” He squirmed against the pillows, trying to bury himself in the linen. Rhett didn’t even think before he reached out to card his hands through Link’s hair. It was rough with gel and no doubt sweat from the ordeal he had been through today. He rubbed his fingers against Link’s scalp and forehead until Link started to relax a little. He was about to lie in bed beside Link when his phone chimed. Someone was calling. 

Rhett swiped to answer, not even glancing at the caller first. “Hello?” 

“Is he okay?” Christy sounded worried - not panic inducing worry but definitely distracting worry. Rhett almost felt bad that his text hadn’t really said much. He could have explained more. 

“He will be.” Rhett said, looking down on Link. “Seems like the flu or something. Hopefully just a bug.” 

Christy hummed. “We were going to stay with my mother tonight, but I can come home.” 

Rhett didn’t even think on it. “I can stay with him.” He adds quickly, “if you’re that worried.” 

“I can’t ask you to do that. You have your own family.” 

“It’ll be okay.” Link had, after all, come to his rescue a few too many times over the years. “Really.” 

“Okay. Thanks, Rhett. Please call me if you need me. And make sure our guy gets some rest.” Rhett could almost hear some sort of knowing smile in Christy’s voice. It matched a look she had given him before - like she could see right through him. Like she might somehow know more than he does. 

After Rhett hung up the phone, Link tugged a little on Rhett’s shirt. “What did she say?”

“Nothin’. They’ll all be home tomorrow. And I’ll stay with you tonight to make sure you get some rest.” 

“Did she tell you how I like to have peanut butter toast when I’m sick?”

“Link, I’ve known that for years. But I think we should make sure your stomach is calmed down before we try that.”

Link hummed, tugging harder. “She say we could cuddle?” 

“I don’t think we need permission for that. Move over.” Rhett said, moving to lay down next to Link. He checked to make sure there was a trash can within arms reach, just in case, before settling in under the blanket. He reached an arm out and Link crawled into the space he’d created. 

“We should get some medicine in you.” Link grunted again, even as Rhett rubbed his back.

“In a minute.” He didn’t want to move. And he didn’t ever want Rhett to move. He just wanted to stay like this for a few hours or days or years. Link was warm, burning so against Rhett, but he felt cold and burrowed as close as he could, until he was breathing in Rhett’s cologne and thankfully  _ not  _ the stray scent of french fries. Rhett’s cologne was familiar and Link wanted nothing more than to erase everything else that happened today with the memory of the scent. 

“You’ve gotta drink something at least. You’re dehydrated.” Rhett’s voice was quiet in the dark room and Link knew he was right and loathed him for it. Childishly, he whined into Rhett’s shoulder, his stomach still aching emptily. The last thing he wanted was to put something into it, earlier talk of peanut butter toast be damned. 

“I really don’t want to get sick again.” Link admitted. 

“I know you don’t, brother. But if you do, I’ll be right here through it. I’d hold your hair, but there’s not enough.” Link made no response and Rhett sighed. “It’s this or the hospital is in your future. Neither of us want that.” 

Link knew Rhett was right  _ again  _ and sighed himself. He unfurled from Rhett’s shoulder and reached out for the water bottle Rhett had put on the bedside table at….some point. His fingers fumbled over the cap and Rhett’s large heads settled over the top of his trembling ones, stilling them. “Lemme help.”

Link couldn’t argue and allowed Rhett to take it. He stared down at his hands in his lap while he waited, mind hazy. It was the fever, he was sure. Rhett pressed it back into his hands and helped Link take a tentative sip. The water was cool on his sore throat and made him realize just how thirsty he really was. He took another sip. Then another. Until Rhett was guiding the bottle away from his mouth gently. “Easy going.” 

Link sighed, handed the bottle back to Rhett like he couldn’t be trusted with it himself. Rhett capped it up and set it aside, before nodding towards Link’s pillow. “Alright, man. You can lay back down.” 

Link did. But as soon as he closed his eyes, he was spinning in the darkness. He could feel the cold water settling in his stomach and he pressed a hand againsts it. He groaned, low and long. 

  
“You okay?” Rhett’s voice was soft and calm, the backbone Link had been leaning on all day.    
  


“ _ No. _ ” Link responded, a sour gurgle coming from his stomach and throat.” _ Ngh.  _ I don’t wanna puke again. I don’t want to.”

Rhett rubbed his stomach gently, pausing where Link’s hand was resting. He chose not to comment on how small and childish he sounded, and how adorable he found it. 

“Rhett.” Link gasped his name like it was a lifeline. Rhett supposed it was. “Will you... _ oh, ugh.  _ I dunno...talk to me or somethin’?” Link pressed a fist against his mouth as a burp trembled up his throat. 

“Okay, brother. Okay. Just breathe through it. Let some of the water absorb and you’ll feel better.” 

Link gave the smallest nod. Slow breaths through his nose kept the bile from rising in his throat, but he kept his first to his mouth anyway. Rhett’s hand on his stomach helped. It was always a shock that his hand was so big, and Link tired to focus on that. Tried to pick apart the differences between his own and Rhett’s. 

Link moved his hand from under Rhett’s on his stomach, used it to lift his shirt just a bit. Rhett took the invitation and Link’s hand was on top of his now, Rhett rubbing his fingers flat against Link’s skin. He swore he could almost feel it gurgling, and Rhett had to stop himself from clicking his tongue in sympathy -  _ again.  _ He didn’t really have time to think about why that had been his reaction all day because Link was wincing again, pressing down on his hand. 

“ _ Rhett. _ ” he hissed. 

“You’re okay, Link. You’re alright. Just keep still and relax and then we can try some medicine soon.” 

Link nodded and said nothing, misery clear in his eyes. Rhett remembered his earlier request and started rambling about nothing in particular. He settled on a story he was fairly sure he had already told Link, but thought it could maybe do the trick. “Hey, did I tell you about what Lola did the other night? I thought Jessie was gonna throw ‘er into the street.” Link shook his head even though Rhett  _ did  _ tell him the story the day it happened and they both knew it. “We woke up that morning and there she was - all four paws on the kitchen table, face deep in the cupcakes Jess had made for Locke’s class. Was like she didn’t know how to get down, just up there all covered in frosting like she had to eat it to survive. We still don’t know how she got out of her crate.” 

Link listened, not so much to the story, but to the way Rhett’s voice rose and fell in time with the movements of his fingers. Every now and again his thumb brushed against the waistband of Link’s jeans, and Link’s stomach seized up in a way that had nothing to do with illness every time. It was distracting to say the least, and not something he wanted to notice when he barely had his wits about him. It wasn’t the sort of thing he could bury like he usually did when his mind was so foggy. 

Rhett was looking down at him, and for a second Link stared right at him. Rhett looked so….concerned. And sorry. And  _ soft.  _ And it was strange and nice and just….Link didn’t even know how to to put a word to what he was thinking. After a moment Rhett looked away, like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He pulled his hand away, which was such a loss Link felt it in his very core, and he stood. 

“Let’s try something for your stomach. Downstairs cabinet still, brother?” Link nodded, and Rhett was gone, through the door and down the stairs, and Link could only close his eyes and huff a breath. 

  
  


Rhett stood in the kitchen for a moment before going through the cabinets. He was leaning over the table, hands flat against the vinyl cloth. He breathed in through his nose, long and even. He imagined how many meals he had eaten in this place, his whole family with Link’s whole family and did everything he could to dispel the shaky butterfly-feeling in his stomach. This couldn’t be happening right now. Right now, Rhett needed to focus on caring for Link and getting him better. He took one more breath braced against the table before rummaging in the cupboard, only finding a few forgotten tums and a bottle of something pink he knew Link was going to hate. Rhett gave himself another moment to check his phone before he returned upstairs. 

A text from Stevie: 

_  updates pls??? he doing okay? do you need anything? _

He answered and reassured her before he read the next text. From Christy:

_ I know you know, but he gets whiny and clingy when he’s sick so thank you for this. Take good care of our boy, okay? _

Rhett blinked at the screen. This was the second time she had referred to Link as “ours” to Rhett, and she couldn’t have meant it in the way that Rhett had been trying to ignore all afternoon. A small, quiet, almost silent part of him  _ wished  _ Link was just as much his as he was Christy’s. But he wasn’t. He couldn’t be, and Rhett knew it. 

He closed his eyes and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache, the kind that crept up into his temples when he got stressed or worried. He took an extra second to compose himself before he sent a message back, trying his hardest to be as normal as possible. 

_ He’s whiny as ever, but he’ll pull through. :) _

He wasn’t smiling, but he figured he had to seem like he was. He shoved his phone into his pocket and swiped the meds from the cabinet before finally heading back upstairs. 

  
  
  


“Hey, brother. You’re not gonna like these options.” He was forcing his voice to remain calm and steady. Link had turned on to his side, wrapped up tightly in the blankets, and was facing the door. His glasses were sitting on the nightstand, so at least he had managed to get those off. 

Rhett crossed the room and set everything on the nightstand. The face Link made was more akin to his utter revulsion of seaweed than an adult facing down unpleasant medicine. Link groaned, but it was exaggerated and not anything like the breathy pain-filled sounds he was making. Rhett wanted to think that was an improvement, but the way his skin looked pale and clammy wasn’t doing him any favors. 

“I don’t even know why we have that pink shit. I’ll vomit for sure if I try that.” 

“It’s supposed to help, isn’t it?” Rhett asked, feeling like he was trying to convince one of his children to take cough medicine. 

“Man, I swear every time I’ve tried that it comes back seconds later.” Link closed his eyes again, and Rhett couldn’t help but notice a slight wrinkled crease between his eyebrows. He was still in pain then, Rhett’s mind supplied. “I just wanna try and sleep.”

Rhett nodded. He couldn’t argue. “We can try some meds when you wake up, then. I’ll just go downstairs and-”

 

“Oh.”

Link’s voice was quiet, like he hadn’t meant to cut Rhett off, but the disappointment was palpable. Rhett stopped talking and Link looked up at him. “I mean...you could stay up here if you wanted. This bed is big enough.” 

“Is that what you want?” Rhett asked. Link nodded, moved from his curled position at the edge of the bed to allow Rhett in. Once Rhett was laying down, Link wasted no time slotting himself back into his arms.  

Rhett listened to his breathing even out and stared up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the thoughts cascading through his head when Link shuffled closer to him in his sleep. This wasn’t the first time they had shared a bed. It wouldn’t be the last. But the absolute solitude around them is what gave Rhett nothing else to focus on. Nothing except the fact that Link fit stupidly well against him. Except that he was warm. Except that this felt so  _ right  _ on so many levels, it made him dizzy. He rubbed at Link’s back, creating non existent shapes in the ceiling with his eyes. Counted slowly. Tried to time Link’s breathing. Anything to distract him from his thoughts. 

God. It couldn’t be that. Not now. 

This was his best friend. Always had been, hopefully always would be. And he was  _ sick  _ and Rhett felt like shit for even feeling an ounce of….attraction? Misplaced affection?  _ Desire?  _

Rhett shifted and slid a hand behind his head. He tried to get comfortable while still listening to Link breathing in and out. He couldn’t think about this now. He was going to have to wait to unpack it later on, when Link felt better, and Rhett was back home and could consult several sips of scotch about his predicament.  

Rhett must have faded from consciousness because the next thing he was aware of was the sharp slap of the bathroom door closing and the hurried clank of a toilet seat lifting, followed by the familiar sounds of Link’s deep retching. 

Rhett was out of bed in a moment, baffled that he didn’t feel Link separate from him, but pushing himself into the bathroom nonetheless. The lights were off but the nightlight over the sink shone enough to illuminate Link’s weary and sweaty features as they leaned over the basin of the toilet. He wasn’t kneeling, but rather he crouched in front of the toilet, using one hand to brace himself on the tank. Rhett found himself wondering how long it had been since he saw Link vomit over an actual toilet. 

He didn’t have time to marvel at the strangeness of the thought before Link was heaving again, a whimper leaving his trembling lips along with the bile. He knelt behind Link and splayed a steadying hand on his back. “Just get it up, man. I’ve got ya. Darlin’, I’ve got ya.” 

Rhett almost bit his tongue at the endearment that slipped out but if Link noticed it he said nothing. He relaxed after a few moments, leaning all of his body weight backwards against Rhett. “You know, Rhett. I love you, man.” 

Rhett’s blood went cold but he tried to keep things cool - keep them room temperature at the very least. “This ain’t the first time I’ve seen you puke, brother. Sure it won’t be the last.” 

Link shook his head. “No, Rhett. I mean it. I love you.” 

Rhett wanted to blame Link’s fevered delirium for the confession. That had to be it. Rhett opened his mouth to say something, anything to deflect the situation, but Link’s opened first. He leaned forward again to expel more of the seemingly never ending contents of his stomach. While Rhett felt awful that Link had to endure this, he was actually thankful that it stopped the conversation. It kept him focused on the situation at hand so the questions in his head couldn’t slip out. 

“Easy, brother. Easy.” The word dragged out and it was soothing in Link’s head as he coughed. He spat and kept his eyes shut, not wanting to see the mess. The sour smell was enough to make his stomach turn again by itself. 

Rhett eased Link back, just enough so he could lean forward and flush the toilet. Link’s breathing was a little unsteady and Rhett wondered, more than a little concerned, if his earlier almost-joke about the hospital would have to come true. Link sighed into the toilet, water rippling on his sour breath. He gagged and coughed a few more times, the movement wracked his exhausted shoulders. 

“You’ve gotta kill me, Rhett.” Link said. 

It was a joke, Rhett thought. Probably. Link was rambling and Rhett needed to get him back to bed. 

“It’d be poetic….or somethin’.”

“Hush, you.” Rhett mumbled, helping Link stand. “You gotta get back in bed and drink something. You’re getting delirious.” 

“Am not.” Link pouted, but let himself be lifted and practically carried back to bed. “Thirsty, though.” 

“I bet.” Rhett got link sitting on the bed and went for the water bottle. He uncapped it, handed it off, and Link began to take slow sips. 

Link tried to keep himself from chugging it. He really really  _ really  _ did not want to puke again. But he was so thirsty…

Rhett’s hand on the bottle stopped him again and Link didn’t fight when Rhett took it. He was just too tired to do anything. Instead, he just stared. His mouth was a little wet, and hanging open, but his throat felt so much better after the water. 

Rhett set the bottle aside and looked back down at Link. There was that soft edging to his eyes again. Link couldn’t exactly place it, but he got distracted by it. So distracted that when Rhett reached out, wiped over his lips with his thumb, Link didn’t react. 

“Sorry.” Rhett whispered hastily after one moment too many of stunned silence. He pulled back his hand and stared at it like it moved by itself. He dropped it into his lap. All Link did was look at him, lips parted and slowly closing. Swollen, they pillowed against each other. 

“Don’t be.” Another pause, a moment for either of them to say something, but neither did. “Can I lay on your chest again?” Link asked sheepishly, soon enough. 

Rhett couldn’t help but oblige and he was back in Link’s bed for what had to be the third time that day. Silence fell again and Rhett thought Link had gone back to sleep. 

“Rhett?” Link’s voice was quiet, but somehow so loud in the dark room. “I meant what I said.” 

Rhett didn’t say anything back, because the only thing his mind could go to was Link’s undoubtedly fever induced question….and it couldn’t be that. He gently rubbed his hand along Link’s spine. He thought he felt Link relaxing against him, like he finally might be able to get some rest. Like maybe Link would forget he said anything at all and let sleep take him away. 

Except. 

“That I love you.” 

Link was pushing and Rhett couldn’t ignore that. He couldn’t just let them sit there in silence. Silence was never his strong suit. 

“I love you too, brother.” He gave Link a one-armed squeeze, but Link just buried his face into Rhett’s neck, and Rhett bit his tongue because this was beyond the usual “I’m sick, pamper me” sort of cuddling Link got. He felt Link exhale against sensitive skin and had to surpress a shiver. 

“No. You don’t get it.” Link paused. “Love you like, I’d kiss you if I hadn’t spent my day vomiting.” 

Rhett could feel Link trying to shrink away at the statement, trying to get a better look at Rhett’s face, and Rhett couldn’t help himself. He barked a laugh because it was so ridiculous to hear that his mind truly could not process it. It was just too much. 

Too much like exactly what Rhett had wanted to hear for so damn long. 

“Link,” Rhett breathed, huffing air out of his lungs. “We can’t talk about this now.” Rhett felt the hair on his arms stand straight up and he fought the urge to scratch his blunt fingernails along them. 

“Then when?” Link asked the ceiling in the dark. 

Rhett was quiet. He did not have an answer for Link. Never? That was when he had planned on talking about it. Never again outside of this illness clouded, fever soaked moment so there wasn’t anything they had to hide from their wives. No awkward conversations, no thoughts about how Link’s soft lips would feel against his…

“I- don’t know. I don’t know.” Rhett said. His words felt jumbled and that pain was coming back behind his ears. “Link, we  _ can’t.  _ We can’t do this. Just let me take care of you.” 

“I can’t do that anymore.” 

“Do what, Link? What about Christy?” 

Link was silent for a moment and Rhett thought maybe he had finally broken through the confused fever haze he must have been stuck in. 

“She knows.” 

Rhett’s stomach dropped out. He thought  _ he  _ might vomit now. 

Link kept talking, kept his eyes away from Rhett’s. “She’s known for a long time. She knew before I even told her, brother.” Link closed his eyes and at least this was all a distraction from how sick he’d been feeling. 

Rhett didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to be compartmentalizing this. Every conversation he had with Christy over the years flooded back to him - all the possible little hints, all the knowing smiles, the glances. And of course, he couldn’t forget the way she had referred to Link as “our boy”. 

“I love her.” Link said it like he needed to remind Rhett, not himself. “But that doesn’t mean…” he broke off, swallowed thickly. “That I can’t love you too.” 

Rhett didn’t know what to say or how to respond to that. He never thought he would be confronted with this, something that he only thought about alone in the dark. Something that was never meant to see the light of day, much less come from Link’s mouth in such a direct way. Rhett’s silence was too long and Link started speaking again. His words fell quickly, less slurred and more frantic than they had been all day. 

“If I misread….if you don’t feel the same. It’s. I mean, it’s okay. It won’t change anything. It hasn’t yet.” 

Rhett took a deep breath. “I never said I didn’t feel the same.” 

That had Link pushing himself up, hovering about Rhett and staring down at him. For someone who had been sick all day, his eyes were far too clear. He was waiting for Rhett to say something, to do something. But Rhett didn’t know  _ what.  _ He had had so long to contemplate all the things he would have loved to say or do in this moment, and of course now his mind was just blank. 

Except...he wanted to kiss Link. As stupid as that would be. As bad of an idea it would be. Forget about how Link had been throwing up all morning, all he wanted was to press his lips up against Link’s. But there should be a conversation first. Shouldn’t there? Between the two of them, properly. And with Christy. He needed to hear it straight from her mouth. 

And god. Jess. 

But...nothing would change the fact that he  _ wanted  _ to. Nothing could have prepared him for this moment, no matter how many times he had watched it play out in his head before now. 

“I don’t know what to do what to do right now, brother.” Rhett mumbled, figured honesty was best at that moment. 

Link seemed like he wanted to laugh. “I don’t either. There’s no rule book for this.” 

Link’s face seemed very close to his. It had been closed in the past, no doubt, but the air had never felt so charged between them before. 

“We gotta talk about this, man. I gotta talk to Jessie...I can’t just…”

“You think she doesn’t know?” Link asked, eyes boring into Rhett’s. “I’m sure she and Christy have talked about it. Jess can see. She knows you.” 

Rhett’s mouth was dry. He had never wanted to be confronted with this. This wasn’t...this wasn’t anything he thought he would actually have to deal with. He wanted it, sure, but he never thought it was a possibility. Now that he was faced with it, Rhett found it terrifying. But he couldn’t say that Link was wrong. Jessie probably did know; that same knowing smile he had seen on Christy, he’d seen on her before too. 

But still…

“Lay back down. Get some rest. When you’re...when our heads are clear we’ll talk about it.” Rhett paused before adding. “Promise.” 

Link hesitated, but ultimately listened because there was no real argument to be had. Rhett was right. It just wasn’t...satisfying. But laying against Rhett  _ was _ satisfying. Rhett continued to stroke his back, and that was satisfying too, even if the first tough was hesitant. With his eyes closed, Link felt the gentle touch of something against his hair, and it took him a moment to realize it was Rhett’s lips. 

And he had to smile. 

“Get some sleep, brother.” Rhett mumbled into his hair and Link shivered because of it. “We’ll talk once you feel better. And maybe I’ll make you some toast when you get up.” 

Link nodded. Suddenly, he felt far sleepier than had had moments ago and he let himself slip. He was lost in Rhett’s embrace and the truth they finally spilled was like a blanket over both of them. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Michelle Branch plays softly in the distance*
> 
> This chapter is sex.

It had been a few days since Link puked his guts out on his front lawn. He was feeling better. He was back to work, and things were back to the way they were. 

 

Mostly. 

 

Things between him and Rhett had been strained. It was nothing that the fans would notice, not even the crew. But there had been something...heavy between them. Something tangible tapping at the strings of their relationship. And both of them knew exactly what it was. 

 

Filming wrapped, it was a Friday. Rhett slid closer to Link before either of them got up from the desk. “Let’s go get lost somewhere and talk a bit.” Rhett patted his pocket where his keys were.

 

Link nodded, They hadn’t gotten lost in  _ ages.  _ It was going to feel so familiar to sit in Rhett’s truck and just talk. Even if the subject Link knew was bound to come up had anxiety thrumming through his veins. 

 

Link followed Rhett silently out of the studio and into the truck. He didn’t speak and didn’t expect Rhett to yet. Not while the engine was just starting and Rhett was navigating them into traffic. Link occupied himself on his phone, texted his wife to say he was going out for a bit. He got the knowing response, an actual  _ good luck!!  _ and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hate her for teasing, or love her for understanding. 

  
  


They were stopped at a light when Link set his phone aside and Rhett said, “Listen. About all that.”

 

But he didn’t elaborate. They sat there for a few moments before the light changed and they moved again. Link gave Rhett two blocks to continue before he chimed in. 

 

“All that being the reshoot of the fry taste test, or the fact that I confessed to you?”

 

Rhett choked for a second and Link grinned, tried to play it off as a joke. Tried to downplay his anxiety. 

 

“Uhm. Well I think filming went pretty well today so…”

 

“Yeah, I didn’t vomit today. That’s one for the books.” Link agreed. They were silent for a few moments more before Link placed his hand lightly on top of the gear shift. “But about the rest of it…” 

 

Rhett swallowed. It was now or never. Now or  _ now,  _ really. “I talked to Jess.” 

 

“Okay.” Link said. His voice was a whisper, an echo of what it was that day that seemed so far in the past. “And?”

 

“And,” Rhett said, before the words could fall off again. He hesitated, focused on turning with traffic instead, until he couldn’t blame the silence on it any longer. “And you were right. She...she knew. She knew things I didn’t know. Or admit to knowing.” 

 

Rhett exhaled, reaching one hand up to scrub over his face. “She said I’ve always been yours.” 

 

It was said very quietly, like Rhett hadn’t come to fully believe it. Like maybe that conversation, the one where Jessie proved once again to be an all-knowing saint, couldn’t have happened. 

 

“And maybe she was right. Maybe I’ve...struggled with this for a long time, darlin’.” Rhett dropped his hand back to the wheel and glanced at Link. Link tore his own eyes away, looked at the road. There was a hint of color to his cheeks and neck, just barely there, but Rhett saw it. 

 

Rhett slid one of his hands from the steering wheel again to place it over Link’s settled still on the gear shift. “I guess I just...wanted to ignore what was always there. I never thought you’d feel this way, brother. It was always just something I stifled and shoved down.”

 

“Me too.” Link admitted. “Christy was the first to know. We’d been drinking and she could tell something was bothering me and she got it out of me. Never thought I’d act on it either, though.” 

 

Rhett nodded, swallowed, looked at Link and watched the road in the reflection in his glasses. “Me either,” he whispered. “But here we are.”

 

“Here we are.” Link echoed. “What are we doing about it?” 

 

Rhett squeezed Link’s hand. He didn’t really have an answer to that. There were things he had always wanted, things he only let himself consider when utterly alone. But he had no idea where to start. No idea  _ how  _ to start. He felt like a fumbling teenager all over again. “What do you want to do about it?” 

 

It was all he could offer. He had to take his hands from Link to navigate a turn, and as the truck was moving, Link leaned over - hindered by the seat belt but still managing - and placed possibly the most tentative kiss to Rhett’s cheek. It was really more his jaw and he got mostly beard, but it  _ happened  _ and Rhett’s pulse skyrocketed. 

 

Rhett never really thought Link would be the one to make the first move, but here they were, and and it seemed right. He was always the more confrontational one. He wanted to bring his hand to rest against his cheek where Link’s lips were. 

 

“You’re blushin’, man.” Link said and the tone of his voice was somewhere between playful and flirtatious and Rhett felt something stir inside of him. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

 

“Since college at least?” Rhett said, speaking only for himself. There were many nights spent drunk and stoned and alone in their dorm with that  god awful couch…

 

Link settled back, tipped his head back and closed his eyes. “At least. Before too.” He didn’t elaborate and Rhett didn’t push. He would, definitely, someday. But right now didn’t need to. The knowledge he had was enough.

 

With Link not looking, Rhett reached up to rub his jaw, thumb pressed to where Link had kissed him. And he smiled. Maybe too big. 

 

“Hey.” Link said, still not opening his eyes. His voice was a bit softer now, like he was treading carefully. “Take me somewhere.” 

 

“What direction?” Rhett asked, and his heart swelled at how much like the old days this was. It might end up being harder to get lost in LA than it was in North Carolina, but he was going to do what Link asked him, no matter what. 

 

Link didn’t even open his eyes, just pointed in a direction and Rhett took the next exit leading that way. “Where do you want me to take you?” 

 

Link opened his eyes to stare directly and intently at Rhett. “Everywhere,” he whispered. 

 

Rhett could have laughed - he wanted to. He saw so much of Link’s young spirit in those eyes, so many years of quiet repression spilled out. He couldn’t help grinning. This was the Link he’d fallen in love with - and admitting that even to himself felt like such a remarkable thing, something he didn’t know he could do. 

 

Link reached over while Rhett merged into another lane, ran the tips of his fingers lightly against Rhett’s hair. He was barely touching, but just enough to know he was there. It was so affectionate it made Rhett’s chest ache. Rhett wanted to kiss him, and do it  _ properly.  _ That notion itself was not new, but knowing he actually could follow through was and it made him dizzy. He gripped the wheel tighter, wished they were back home. He wished they could go get lost in a field and collapse under the warm sky. Rhett took a few turns like he knew where he was going. And maybe he did, because in a few more minutes he was parking on a seemingly abandoned back road, high above the city.

 

Link looked down and could see the outline of buildings, the streetlights slowly began to turn on. It wasn’t quite dark yet, but it would be soon. 

 

“Uh. Here we are.” Rhett offered, turning the truck off and letting the keys dangle in the ignition. 

 

“Where’s here?” Link asked, looking at Rhett rather than at the scenery. 

 

“Everywhere.” Rhett whispered and leaned over the center console to press his lips square against Link’s. His lips were soft and full and felt better than Rhett ever imagined. They were moving against his, but the kiss was chaste, mouths shut. Despite that, Rhett felt so much genuine emotion, so much cathartic release, so  _ right  _ that he couldn’t help it as a tear escaped. 

 

Link felt it on his cheek and pulled back. Rhett released a silent sob when Link parted from him and shamefully covered his mouth. “Sorry, man. It’s just…” Rhett trailed off. 

 

Carefully, Link tugged Rhett’s hand away. He entangled their fingers, squeezed, and leaned back in to kiss the corner of Rhett’s mouth. 

 

Link nodded. “I know.” Link reached up, got the wet tear on his thumb and wiped it away. He was looking at Rhett so affectionately, like he was the only person in the world. “I feel it too,” he whispered, and Rhett was squeezing his hand, wanting to melt away and dissolve into him. He felt so  _ in tune  _ with Link and it was terrifying and awe inspiring. 

 

Rhett found Link’s mouth again, kissed him slowly. As much as he wanted to rush, felt so strung out from years and years of repressing, he wanted to take his time equally as much. He wanted to kiss Link slowly. He wanted to learn him in ways he had never been allowed to before. 

 

“Do you still have that blanket under the seat?” Link asked, and Rhett wondered if his desire to take things slowly was being taken out of his hands. He found he didn’t really care. He nodded and Link reached under his seat to retrieve it. “Let’s sit in the bed, stretch out some. Enjoy the air.” 

 

Rhett liked that idea, liked the opportunity to get even closer to Link than sitting inside the truck would allow. He opened his door and Link followed him out, shaking the blanket out while Rhett undid the tailgate latch. Link laid the blanket out inside and crawled up into the bed. He leaned against the window and patted the spot next to him. “Come on. I haven’t kissed you enough yet.” 

 

Rhett couldn’t argue that. He hopped in the bed as well, hands and knees as he awkwardly made his way up to Link. He thought about sitting next to him, but instead crawled over top of him to press their chests together and laid an open mouthed kiss on Link.

 

Link reciprocated and slid his tongue into Rhett’s mouth. He tasted like citrus and faint smoke - which Rhett didn’t exactly understand, he was fairly sure Link didn’t smoke. The taste reminded him of long summers laying next to tobacco fields, and he couldn’t complain. Link snaked a hand behind Rhett’s neck and deepened the kiss even further. Rhett could no longer hold himself back and pressed into Link, one hand bracing himself and the other tenderly tracing Link’s jaw. Link’s tongue pushed against Rhett’s, and  _ fuck  _ he wasn’t just going to let Rhett own the kiss. The sheer idea of that made Rhett shiver, and he could feel Link trying to smile over it. Link made a little noise, some hybrid of a whine and a groan, and Rhett felt it vibrate his whole body. Link grasped at Rhett’s shirt, opened his mouth wide, and it was so  _ easy  _ to press inside. 

 

He pulled back a little, nipped at Link’s lower lip, before going for his neck, getting just above his t shirt line. The skin was so warm and so easy to try to bruise. Link was breathing faster, his hands moving to grasp at Rhett’s shoulders, and then the moan turned into a  _ laugh _ and Rhett was glancing up.

 

“Your beard tickles. Not used to it.”

 

Huh. That would make sense. Rhett couldn’t help but laugh too, grinning back at Link. They always, always, above all else made each other laugh. There was no reason this should be any different, and Rhett was glad it wasn’t. 

 

He pressed back into the crook of Link’s neck and nipped a bit - just a bit. Link gasped and wrapped his arms around Rhett’s back, hips shuddering forward of their own volition. 

 

It was Rhett’s turn to moan now, that delicious and forbidden friction brought something to slither down his spine and coil at the base. It was familiar, but it was brand new and thrilling all at the same time. His hips thrusted  down into Link’s, lamenting the layers of jeans and boxers between them, but knowing this was neither the time nor place for that. Instead, Link reached down and hooked a finger under Rhett’s chin, gently lifted his face back up. 

 

“I wanna kiss you until I’m all out of breath.” Link whispered and Rhett couldn’t resist him. He would just as happily have taken his last breath right then if it meant he would get to die in an embrace so pure, so devastatingly perfect, as this. 

 

This time, Rhett followed Link’s lead, tipped his head so Link could test the points of his teeth. He shuddered when Link grinded up into him again, a little gentler but more consistent. He pushed back down on him, hard, and  _ fuck  _ this wasn’t the place but he was responding anyway. He got the hand not braced on the truck on Link’s chest - and it was foolish, his body was trained to react to a woman and there was nothing there, but his thumb grazed Link’s nipple and, even though his t shirt, got him a pleased shiver. 

 

Link had a hand against Rhett’s shoulder and it was warm, warmer than Rhett had anticipated. Link’s hands had never been  _ cold  _ but this heat was ungodly. Maddening. Link broke the kiss to catch a breath of air and Rhett could only gasp his name. 

 

“Link.” He said it again, and again. It was a mantra and eyes were feeling wet again. Link trembled beneath him and pressed in for one final kiss before softly motioning Rhett to lay pillowed against his chest.

 

Rhett followed, even if it felt awkward, felt like Link should be the one curling into him, his gangly limbs barely fitting in the too small truck bed. Link pet a few fingers against his neck. 

 

“I love you, brother. It’s been too long. It’s been so long.” Link whispered into the cooling night air, holding tightly to Rhett. “I love you so much.” 

 

***

 

Rhett knocked, shifting about in front of the door. The house felt strangely quiet. Granted, it was completely empty except for Link - which was the whole  _ point  _ \- but still. Rhett wasn’t used to this kind of quiet. Link opened the door before he could get too lost in himself, offering up a smile. He was... _ cute  _ in his fucking sweater and that was a word Rhett didn’t really feel applied to men normally, but here he was thinking it. 

 

“Hey brother.” His voice was a little rough, but Link smiled at him all the same. 

 

To hell with it, Link looked cute. 

 

Rhett was done suppressing and actively changing his thoughts. At when it came to Link he was. So, “You look cute” came out of his mouth before he really had a chance to stop it. 

 

And that had Link laughing, ushering Rhett inside. Rhett felt his whole body light up, every individual nerve, when Link laughed. He was surprised by the fact that he never had a name to give it until now. “Come on in, brother. Sit down. I’ll get us some beers.” 

 

Rhett sat right on the couch where he usually did, and let Link bring him a drink. He didn’t want to get  _ drunk,  _ but a little alcohol might help loosen his nerves. The lube he had stowed in his pocket burned against his hip. He didn’t know how he was going to use it, how he  _ wanted  _ to use it, or even if they would get that far, but he would always rather be prepared. 

 

He was brought back when he felt the chill of a beer bottle being pressed to his arm through his shirt. He took it with a nervous smile up at Link, who plopped himself down on the couch next to him, far closer than he ever used to sit. Their thighs were touching, and it was distracting. Without much thought, Rhett reached down, gave Link’s thigh a gentle squeeze, and took a long swallow to his beer. 

  
  


It had been a few days since they had spent time alone together off camera, and they’d both been looking forward to it. There had been stolen kisses, and hugs that lasted just a few seconds too long, but nothing had been like that night in Rhett’s truck. All Rhett wanted was to recreate that evening. 

 

“I wanna kiss you, brother.” Rhett said after taking another long pull. 

 

“I don’t know what you’re waiting for.” Link breathed, turning his face to Rhett’s. He placed his beer down on the table and folded his socked feet up underneath him. Rhett’s voice and thoughts were both lost when Link leaned over and planted his lips square on Rhett’s. His mouth opened, allowing Link easy access. He  _ still  _ tasted vaguely of smoke, something Rhett still hadn’t figured out. He liked it, and against the subtle hoppy taste of the beer, it worked. 

 

Rhett was happy to let Link guide the kiss. He was happy to sit back and have someone  _ act _ on him. It was thrilling. Especially when Link planted one hand on his chest, the other threading into the hair at the base of his skull. His fingers felt good, they encouraged Rhett to tip his head back so Link was able to kiss him deeper.

 

And suddenly, all at once, Link was on top of him. He was straddling his hips and pressing him into the couch. They were connected by the mouth and Rhett wouldn’t have changed it for anything. Link moaned into Rhett’s mouth when he tilted back a bit further and Rhett had never tasted anything so sweet in his life. 

 

Rhett reached his hands around Link, settled them around his waist and held him just above the hips. He swore he could feel dimples there, hidden beneath the fabric. He’d never noticed that before. He had never really let himself look. 

 

He was overcome in that moment by an insatiable want  for Link to remove all of his clothes and just let him  _ look _ .

 

He squeezed, the sweater that was cute all of ten minutes ago being cursed now because he couldn’t easily get his fingers beneath it, to bare skin. Link rolled his hips at the squeeze, some sort of obscure motion that Rhett hadn’t even known Link could  _ do  _ \- but fuck, was he glad about it. He groaned into the kiss and Link tugged at his hair, forcing his tongue in deeper. 

 

Rhett shook, curled his toes in his socks because it was all so sudden and so good and so very  _ very  _ wanted. His hands slid down to Link’s hips, enjoyed the subtlest of curves there, before sliding under the cardigan, grasping at his ass. 

 

Link gasped into his mouth, pulling back to break the kiss and look at Rhett’s eyes that had gone so dark with  want of  _ something  _ that he didn’t even seem real. “Rhett,” he breathed, and his words sounded like a prayer. “Is this what you want?” 

 

“I want  _ you,  _ Link.” Rhett answered. 

 

“Where do you want me?” 

 

“Everywhere.” 

 

Link took that to heart and his hands were all over Rhett in the next moment. Rhett followed suit, getting his hands beneath that sweater and rucking it up his back. Large hands rubbed up and down Link’s soft back and Link was bringing their lips together once more. 

 

Rhett tugged at the sweater again and broke the kiss. “Take this off, man. It’s in my way.”

 

Link almost laughed at how petulant Rhett sounded but obliged. He leaned back, still straddling Rhett and keeping his balance with taut thighs. He lifted the collar of his shirt up and over his face. It got stuck on his glasses and Rhett laughed, thankful that the tension had broken, even just slightly. 

 

Link came back grinning, and Rhett fell for him all over again, swore he did every time he smiled or laughed or breathed.

 

He got his hands back on Link’s waist, enjoying the warm bare skin, and tried to hold him steady as he leaned into the crook of his neck. Link shivered over the first kiss, as they’re dragged up his neck, and then the breaths were almost-laughs. 

 

“Your beard still tickles.” Rhett grinned before nipping at Link’s pulse point, felt Link’s hands squirming between them, going for the buttons on his shirt. “You’re not making this easy.” 

 

“Do I ever make anything easy, darlin’?” Rhett didn’t give him more space to work to open his shirt, couldn’t seem to pull himself away from Link’s shoulder and neck long enough for it. But Link was managing. 

 

And he was grinning when he said “Loving you is pretty easy.” 

 

Rhett’s shirt somehow got wrestled open and he reached up to gingerly slide Link’s glasses from his nose. He set them on the table next to them and his hands were back on Link in an instant. Link squirmed under the touch and Rhett smiled. 

 

The smile turned into something else when Link shifted against him  _ just right.  _ His jaw went slack and his hands clenched into fists on Link’s shoulders. Link moved the same way again, mischievous lust clouding his eyes. Rhett gasped this time, dragging one of his hands from Link’s shoulders to his lower back, pressing to keep his body in place. Link gyrated his hips, a small circle, right over the place where Rhett was holding him. 

 

Link reached out one hand to hook beneath Rhett’s chin and move his face upwards. He was looking down on Rhett - unusual - and Link held his gaze as he thrust forward again. Every nerve in Rhett’s body was alive, singing, and he was absolutely sure Link could feel him stiffening. Rhett moaned, a heady puff of air, beginning to absolutely ache in the confines of his jeans. Link was moving again, reaching one hand down to palm himself through his visibly tight pants.

 

Rhett felt heat rise in his neck, he was surprised by Link’s action. Maybe not his action, maybe he was more surprised by his lack of hesitation, his boldness, his inability to hold back. Rhett was having a hard time holding back himself, all truth be told. His hips were lifting off the couch cushion, filling the space Link’s left every time he tensed his thighs. Rhett hands travelled down further, one hand pressed against on either side of Link’s ass. 

 

_ Link’s picture perfect peach round ass.  _

 

Rhett responded to his slightly intrusive thought by squeezing Link through his jeans. He almost wanted to plant his hands in each pocket but instead opted for latching on to a belt loop. Rhett clung even tighter when Link leaned down once more to kiss Rhett. 

 

Rhett’s head was previously resting against the back of the couch, but when Link’s lips touched his own, he was leaning up again. Reaching into the kiss like a drowning man gasping for air. 

 

Link’s kiss  _ was  _ air, or as good as. It was something that Rhett didn’t know how he had been living without before. It was something so sweet, that he knew he would never be able to let it go now that he had tasted it. He still was shocked at how soft Link’s lips were - why, he wasn’t sure, the man sold his own lip balm - and how angelic they felt against his slightly rougher ones. 

 

Link kissed like  _ he  _ was drowning, he was everywhere and all at once. He had a hand in Rhett’s hair and was tugging at spots near his neck. Rhett shivered, electric down his spine, when Link’s blunt fingernails scraped across the back of his neck. Rhett’s whole body shook, hips bucking up into Link, a groan escaping when he broke the kiss, panting. 

 

He stared into Link’s eyes again, dark with desire, and knew his didn’t look much different. Link’s lips were swollen plump and red, and Rhett found himself wondering how well the shade of them matched the sensitive skin hidden behind far too much fabric. 

 

Moaning breathily, Link thrust forward again, hips gliding against Rhett in a way that was  _ delicious  _ but not nearly  _ enough  _ for either of them. Rhett’s arms supported his motion, Link’s hands braced on the back of the couch. This felt so good, but it felt so incomplete. Rhett didn’t know if this was all Link wanted to do tonight. If it was, then Rhett was more than happy to continue like this, but…. 

 

He had to know if they were going further. And he was getting tired of waiting. His cock was stiffening more and more each time Link rubbed against it, practically begging to be let out of his pants. And the only way Rhett could think to answer his question was to reach out and place his hand right over Link’s bulge. 

 

It was Link’s turn to shiver now, hips rocking up at the touch. “Rhett-”

 

“Is this okay?” Rhett’s voice was deep, husky. 

 

Link nodded, mouth hanging open as Rhett fumbled with the button his jeans. A blush was creeping up Link’s neck, stretching up his cheeks and to the tips of his ears. Link was breathing heavily, much like Rhett, and had a hard time stilling his hips against Rhett’s slightly fumbling attempts to open his pants. “Hard to do with one hand.”   
  


“L-lemme help.” Link stuttered, reaching down and deftly undoing his jeans. 

 

Rhett realized he should have felt embarrassed about being unable to undo Link’s britches himself, but he was too distracted by the nimbleness of Link’s slender fingers. He found himself wondering what they would feel like pressed up inside the heat of him. 

 

Link’s rucked his boxers down as well as his open jeans and his cock came forth. Rhett felt his own swell at the sight, stiff and exactly the color Rhett had thought it might be. Rhett wasted no time in reaching out, still wanting nothing more than to touch and know every single part of Link’s body. He was already leaking precum, and Rhett dragged as much as he could from the tip down. 

 

Link groaned above him, openly and loudly. His head fell back when Rhett stroked him again, his pace a little slow and awkward, working to get his bearings. He’d never done this on someone  _ else  _ before. It was all opposite. Rhett tried not to overthink it and just allow instinct to take over, and it seemed to work because Link was swelling even further under his touch. Rhett’s hand swept against fabric every now and again, Link’s jeans still crumpled up at the place their bodies met, too frantic to remove anything completely. Rhett was even still sitting against his open button-up shirt that he had only just taken his arms out of. 

 

Link thrust himself into Rhett’s fist at the right moments and helped him set a more regular pace. He flicked his finger over the slit of Link’s cock every now and again, his hand feeling large and rough against the silken skin. Link’s eyes were closed, head thrown back in pleasure, and noises were leaving his mouth almost non-stop. Small gasps and tiny moans filtered from him like air. His hands were gripping against Rhett’s shoulder now, tight enough to maybe leave a mark. Rhett groaned lowly at the sensation, his hand never faltering once he was used to the rhythm. 

 

Link’s thrusts started to falter, and Rhett sped his hand up, bracing his other one back firmly against Link’s ass as he whined. Skin on skin felt wonderful and Rhett found himself hoping  _ he  _ was leaving marks as well. A bruised handprint to show off across from the tattoo of his wife’s name, two separate signs of ownership. Rhett gripped just a bit harder toward the base of Link’s dick and was rewarded with another breathy whine.  _ “Rhett-” _

 

Rhett leaned forward in response, catching Link’s mouth in a surprisingly gentle kiss. Link whimpered into Rhett’s mouth as a final stroke up his length had him spilling into Rhett’s hand. Rhett grunted as Link released, his own erection nearly throbbing in his jeans at this point. 

  
  


Link sighed softly, leaning back from Rhett’s mouth and looking into his eyes. His cheeks were red and his brow glistened with just a little bit of sweat. He looked almost doe-eyed to Rhett, and all Rhett could do was stare at his lips. He just couldn’t tear his gaze away. 

 

“ _ Fuck.”  _ Link whispered and then next thing Rhett knew, Link was rising from his place seated on his lap. 

 

“Link..?” Rhett gasped, wondering if he’d somehow done something wrong or crossed a boundary they weren’t ready for yet. 

 

But just a tense moment later, Link was smiling, sliding from Rhett’s lap and onto his knees, a gleam in his eye. 

 

“Stop me if you want to, Rhett.” Link said quietly, smoothly, as he undid Rhett’s pants with no problem whatsoever. Rhett could feel Link’s hot breath on his now exposed cock and he shivered again. 

 

“Link, you don’t have to...I’ve never done this-”

 

“I have.” Link was quick to say, looking up at Rhett through his eyelashes and that sent Rhett’s mind reeling. 

 

Link had done this before?  _ When?  _ Where had Rhett been?  _ How had he missed it? _

 

“Stop me.” Link said again, urging Rhett to give him consent or deny this action entirely. Rhett groaned, twisted his hips up off the couch, his cock almost touching Link’s lips - which were parted, waiting. 

 

“I don’t want to.” Rhett breathed, wiping his hand off on a patch of his boxers now that they were being tugged down his thighs, Link sitting between his legs. 

 

Link licked his lips and Rhett’s cock twitched before his mouth engulfed it entirely. The wet heat wasn’t a new sensation, but it was a thrilling one all the same. A feeling made even more enticing by the messy mop of black hair rising and falling that came with it this time. Rhett buried a hand in Link’s hair. It was just beginning to gray at the roots. He would be dying it soon. 

 

Link made a muffled sound around Rhett’s cock and Rhett shifted his hips at the vibration. Link  _ wasn’t  _ quiet when it came to sex, any part of it, and Rhett would be lying if he said he was surprised. It was bliss inside Link’s mouth, lips feeling even softer over his delicate skin. He was a  bit bigger than Link was, but Link was taking him in without an issue. It left Rhett wondering exactly how long it had been  _ since  _ Link had last done this. He couldn’t decide if the answer to that would piss him off or turn him on, so he ignored it and focused on the way Link’s nose felt nestled in the small thatch of curly hair against his navel. 

 

Rhett was shocked at Link’s lack of gag reflex - for someone who heaved all the time on the show, Rhett could feel himself twitching in the back of Link’s mouth and Link just swirled his tongue and sucked his way back to the tip. Rhett kept one hand tangled deep in Link’s hair, but brought the other to clutch his shoulder as his grit his teeth with the sensation. Every part of his body was aflame, eager to be touched, anxious for release. 

 

Link bobbed his head forward again, his hand coming to grasp the base of Rhett’s cock as he licked and suckled near his glans. Link’s other hand reached up and laid on top of Rhett’s hand, fingers clawing into his shoulder. Rhett’s knees jerked, still spread wide, and Link rubbed his thumb tenderly across the back of Rhett’s hand before bringing him entirely into his mouth again. 

 

Link hummed again and Rhett groaned. The sound came as a low almost growl and Rhett canted his hips further into Link’s mouth, hitting the back of his throat, making it contract just a bit. Link kept on, never faltering even for one moment. Rhett was wet with spit and what had to be precum and Link slid and made lewd sounds around him. Those sounds coupled with the sounds Link continued to make were quickly tipping him toward the edge. 

 

“Link -  _ ngh  _ \- I’m gonna come, brother.” Rhett’s voice was a wanton rasp and Link just moved both his hands to Rhett’s knees, to grip and squeeze and rub, to somehow give him permission to release. 

 

A few more bobs of Link’s head, and Rhett was spilling inside mouth, feeling it when Link swallowed around his dick as he climaxed. Link stayed in that position for just a moment, making sure Rhett was completely finished, only backing away once Rhett started to go soft just a bit. 

 

Link wiped a hand across his bottom lip and Rhett watched it glisten, even more swollen than before. Rhett reached down, unable to stop himself and practically dragged Link back up into his lap while kissing Link’s mouth deeply. He tasted himself there, and underneath that the beer and the smoke. 

 

Link put his hands on Rhett’s against his face and kissed him until they were both out of breath, both sated and exhausted. Link curled up in Rhett’s lap, happy to be wrapped up in Rhett’s warm arms, disregarding the sweat that clung between their skin. They sat in silence as their breath evened out, Rhett tracing shapes on Link’s back once more, savoring the slowly receding buzz that still hummed in their veins. Rhett thought he might fall asleep right here, the pain it would cause in his neck when he woke be damned, but then Link was laughing. 

 

Out of nowhere, he was completely cracking up, laughing as though Rhett had just told him a joke or started tickling him. Confused, a little concerned, and a lot self conscious, Rhett looked down at Link. “What?” 

 

“You called me brother while I had your dick in my mouth.” Link could barely get the words out before falling into another fit of laughter. 

 

Rhett punched him lightly on the shoulder, cheeks reddening, but smiling all the same. 

 

**

 

If Rhett had realized the lube had fallen out of his pocket the other night at Link’s house, it would have saved him an embarrassing and futile search. He had looked in the car, in the driveway, in the cushions of the couch in the living room, in the laundry hamper, and come up with nothing. It would have saved him a trip to the drug store that borderlined on awkward. The same cashier cashed him out the last time he had gone, approximately a day and a half earlier, and the guy definitely recognized Rhett. Rhett could tell by the way he kept his eyes averted the whole time. And, maybe most importantly, it would have saved him six dollars and twenty-five cents. 

 

As soon as Rhett was in the car, ready to head back home, his phone chimed with a message from Link. 

 

_ you left this at my house, found it under the couch today. should i bring it by tonite? _

 

The message was followed up almost immediately by an image of Link’s hand, long fingers flat beneath the bottle of lube Rhett had thought he lost. 

 

Rhett couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the sheer absurdity of the way things played out in his life. Things often played out conveniently as well - Jessie was bringing the boys to one of their friend’s houses and told him to  _ have fun  _ before she left. He was in the clear. He texted Link back with a smile still lingering on his face as he threw his truck into drive and left the parking lot. 

 

Before he knew it, Link was texting him to let him know he was on the way over. Rhett stood up, smoothed his shirt out and ran a hand nervously through his hair. He had been debating whether he should light a candle in the bedroom or not. He thought it could create a good bit of mood lighting, but he also thought it could come off as incredibly corny. He left a book of matches next to the candle on the dresser, just in case he decided he wanted it on in the heat of the moment.

 

Rhett then immediately picked up both the matches and candle. They couldn’t come in his bedroom to do...anything, to do  _ this.  _ This was where he and Jess slept together, and he didn’t want her to feel like he was betraying her generosity or privacy. He decided they would go to one of the spare rooms they had, the one he had wanted to make into a comfortable place to write. It had a daybed-type couch in it and Rhett suppressed a shiver thinking about Link bending him over on it. 

 

He was waiting in the living room, nervously flipping through his phone and not really looking at anything, when Link knocked on the door. Rhett rose to let him in, and he was standing there with a crooked smile on his face and hands empty except for the small bottle of lube. Rhett snorted and took it from Link’s hand. “Went and got some more today.” 

 

Link laughed and followed him inside. “I guess we’ll have to make use of it then, won’t we?” 

 

A familiar shiver slid down Rhett’s spine and he tried to keep his posture in check. How was he able to hold his composure around Link for so many years only to have it all crumbling before him in seconds now? 

 

“Want a drink or anything?” Rhett asked, his back still turned to Link. He heard Link stop walking behind him and turned. 

 

“No, man. All I want right now is you.” Link’s voice was steady and sure and Rhett would have given him any part of him that Link wanted. 

 

Link was catching up to him and instead of stopping when he got close, he pinned Rhett against the wall in the hallway. Rhett gasped, his shoulder blades pressing flush to the flat surface. Link had his hips pressed up into Rhett’s and his arms on either side of his torso. He wasted no time covering Rhett’s lips with his own, grinding slightly into him. Rhett licked his tongue into Link’s mouth, cupping his chin and allowing himself to be kept trapped. Link sighed in his mouth and squirmed even closer, as though he was trying to crawl inside of Rhett’s very bones. 

 

As though he hadn’t done that already. 

 

Rhett whispered into Link’s ear, breath already hot and heavy. “Let’s go.” 

 

He leaned up and was leading Link down the hallway into the writing room and closing the door behind them. Even though no one was home, it still felt like the right thing to do. Link had him pressed up against the door as soon as it latched shut, leaning against Rhett’s back and slotting his chin in the crook of Rhett’s neck. Rhett turned his head, cheek flat against the wood, breath puffing out and trying to create condensation. He felt something coiling in his stomach at the thought of Link pinning him down like this and he curled his toes against the carpeted floor. 

 

“C’mere, Rhett. Let’s get comfortable.” Link’s words tickled his neck and Rhett swallowed, nodding and letting Link tug him toward the chaise lounge. 

 

He let Link take the lead, glad to have the decision making taken out of his hands, more than happy to flop backwards against the cushions and let Link crawl into his lap. The action was almost a mirror of the other night Link’s couch, but something felt different, deeper. Rhett’s legs were up, long but only just hanging off the end of the lounge, Link fitting slotted between them easily. 

 

Link stopped kissing bits of Rhett’s neck only to reach up and take his shirt off, prompting Rhett to do the same. Take his pants off was a bit harder, but Link helped him slide his jeans off his legs, and did the same before crawling back into place. Goosebumps dotted Rhett’s arms at the pure skin to skin contact. Their legs and torsos touching, Link leaned in for another kiss full on Rhett’s mouth. 

 

Rhett ran a hand through Link’s hair, messing up its usual coif, but Link leaned into the touch, parting from Rhett’s mouth. “Is this what you want?” 

 

If by  _ this _ , Link meant both of them laying naked, tangled within each other, then of course he wanted it. Rhett nodded, rolling his hips up in emphasis. “Please.” 

 

“Just say and I’ll stop if you don’t like it.” Link whispered, reaching for the tube of lube on the table nearby. He sucked a few fingers into his mouth, hoping to warm them up a bit before putting the cold lube on them. 

 

Link leaned back, settling his weight on his heels for the moment, reaching down between Rhett’s legs and palming the cleft of his ass. Rhett groaned, rolled his hips again, lost in the foreign familiarity of all of this. Link circled a lube wet finger around Rhett’s opening and the answering shiver was bone-deep, visceral. Tentatively, Link pushed inside Rhett, only one knuckle deep. Rhett tensed and Link rubbed and kissed the skin near his knee. 

 

When Link pressed in further, Rhett moved his hips with the motion of it and seemed to go boneless in pleasure. Link worked his finger in and out, sending sparks shooting up part of Rhett’s body that he didn’t even know were there. Rhett leaned against the cushions,  eyes half-lidded already, and watched as Link slid his fingers from within and spread more lube on his first and second fingers. Rhett was transfixed by his hands once again. Those long, dexterous fingers could and would be his undoing. 

 

“Just stay relaxed,” Link told him. “I’ve got you.” 

 

Rhett nodded, eyes still glued to Link’s fingertips as he repositioned himself. Two fingers were at Rhett’s entrance this time, pushing slowly forth. Rhett gasped in astonishment at the awkward spread of muscles that was somehow dripping hot in pleasure. Link ventured further, his mouth always in contact with some part of Rhett’s body, giving gentle kisses and playful nips from time to time. 

 

Rhett saw stars when Link curled his fingers deep inside him and his breath left him in a choked moan. Link grinned against Rhett’s thigh and twisted his fingers again, applying a dizzying amount of pressure. Rhett gaped at how sensitive everything felt inside of him and almost cried out at the loss of Link’s fingers a few moments later. His cock was  _ throbbing  _ but he only noticed that now, while Link’s fingers weren’t exploring his insides. Rhett reached out for Link, grabbing almost blindly but connecting with bicep all the same. 

 

Link caught his gaze he uncapped the bottle again, working a fair amount up his own stiffened cock. 

 

“God.” Rhett breathed, felt like this was the closest he had ever come to actual  _ prayer,  _ real worship in decades. 

 

“Do you want this? Tell me what you want.” Link begged, fist closing around the head of his dick. 

 

Rhett licked his lips, nodded feverishly. “I still want you everywhere.” his voice was barely there but in an instant there was a hotter, steadier pressure against his asshole. 

 

Rhett tried to stay relaxed as Link entered him, but the stretch of his muscles was a lot to accommodate for. Link still sunk further, slowly and languidly, only stopping when his hips were pressed flush against the backs of Rhett’s thighs. Rhett’s long legs hung on Link’s broad shoulders, heels almost reaching down to his back. Link stilled for a moment, his head hung back in a beautiful picture of pleasure, one line creasing between his eyebrows. 

 

Rhett was panting beneath him already, entranced by the almost angelic glow coming off of Link now. Rhett whined when Link moved again, and Link groaned in response. Rhett could feel him twitching inside of him. Link cautiously slid out of Rhett before moving forward again, trying to keep a slow and steady pace until Rhett was used to the feeling. 

 

Rhett was drowning in sensation when Link kissed him on the lips again. He was hanging over his naked and sweat gleamed torso, changing the angle of his dick inside Rhett. He gasped up into Link’s mouth and moved his hips down to meet Link when he thrust again. Another groan from Rhett, echoed by Link who was beginning to pant and moan more frequently as he was able to move freely. 

 

Every thrust had a noise spilling from Link’s mouth and Rhett wanted to memorize each and every sound. Rhett was rolling his hips in a way that he had never been sure was possible for him, and Link loved it judging by the sound of it. His thrusts were delicious and Rhett had never felt anything like it. Rhett’s cock was bumping against the slight swell of his stomach with every move and it was driving him wild. He wanted to reach down and touch, but he didn’t want to let go of the clutching hold he had on Link’s wrists for fear that he would become untethered and just float away. 

 

Stars exploded behind Rhett’s eyes again, more urgently, tinting the edges of his vision dark, when Link hit a spot inside him that felt like it harbored a hundred nerve endings. Rhett growled, a trembling sound coming from deep in his throat and his hands moved from Link to his own cock, unable to stand the lack of friction any longer. Link groaned at the sight, shifting his hips slightly to give Rhett a better reach. Rhett tried to time his strokes with Link’s thrusts, but Link’s hips were beginning to stutter and shake. 

 

Link whined his name on the end of his next thrust and Rhett knew he was almost there. Rhett was close himself, he was just edging on the precipice. Link’s thrusts became harder, faster, more and more erratic before Link stilled inside him completely, hips hitching forward as he spilled inside of Rhett with a drawn out groan. Rhett stroked himself faster at the sensation of Link’s warm release filling him. He flicked his thumb over the head of his cock as Link’s still twitched inside him, and soon he was coming himself, spilling over his stomach. 

 

Rhett’s mind was wiped of any thought that was not  _ Link  _ and he floated through waves of pleasure radiating throughout his body. Everything about this felt so  _ right.  _ It was like something that was so meant to be had finally clicked into place, the planets were aligned and everything was finally the way it was supposed to be. Rhett floated in these thoughts, fuzzy with sated pleasure as they were, listening to Link breathe heavily on the other side of his closed eyelids. 

 

They were silent for a few moments, panting, neither of them moving. Rhett rode the dying embers of sensation and clung to Link as soon as he took his hands from his cock. Link’s hair was pulled down in front of his face, hanging as he still leaned over Rhett. Rhett watched his stomach rise and fall with his heaving breaths. Soon enough, he was sliding back, removing himself from Rhett. Rhett gasped at the sensation of emptiness when Link was gone, insides gaping around nothing. 

 

Link ducked out of between Rhett’s legs and collapsed against his chest, both of them still breathing heavily. Rhett closed his arms around Link and found his hands tangling in his hair. 

“It’s a wild thing to do something you’ve only ever let yourself think about when you were sure no one would know.” 

 

Link huffed an agreement against Rhett’s chest. “Better or worse than how you thought it would be?” 

 

“Nothing could be better than what just happened here, brother.” Rhett said, and his voice was doused in such honesty that Link couldn’t doubt him at all. 

“I love you, man.” Link said. The same four words that they had said to each other for their whole lives, finally settling into what they were destined to mean all along. 

 

“I love you back.” Rhett’s voice was still horse and he thought he might want to take a nap right here. He looked over at the clock on the far side of the room and his eyes caught on the table next to them. 

 

They never did light the candle. Rhett figured he would remember to do it the next time. 

 

There was definitely going to be a next time. 

 

They hadn’t gone everywhere they needed to go with each other just yet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kinda new to participating in this fandom, so come hang out with me and talk about rhink on tumblr cemetery-witch.tumblr.com or twitter @spockingout_
> 
> I love friends.


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